Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-09-16


the current of the river, with half her
burden on board, moved by the power
of steam, Gates lifted up his hat, and in
revereutial tones exclaimed, MY God,
she moves. That was the triumph Of
this West Virginian. in 1877.
After the exhibition was over there
was a pamphlet account published of IL.
found copy of il many years ago,
away back in the 'fOrtics. | sent il to
Mr.. Underwood, of kentucKy, who was
then representative in Congress, and
Congress passed a resolution to repub-
lisb it i'm fac Simile, which was done. /
sent copy also to Peter Force, and you
will find it, presume, among his col
lections at the Capitol. This pamphlet
contains description Of the first plan
of The boat propelled by. steam. Ii
showed what he intended it to DO, and
it showed also what he expected it to
do; that he would be enabled, by means
OF his invention, to cross the Atlantic in
fifteen days. That was in l7S1.
There came up very shortly after that
time respectable gentleman-another
one of these martyrs to mechanical sell
ence-John Fitch. His name was re-
ferred to by my friend before me in Il
conversation few minutes ago. Fitch
had been in Kentucky surveying with
Michael Bcdinger, the brother OF Henry
Bedinger, to whom | have just referred. +.
who was also in Kentucky surveying.
lie, Bedinger, was friend of Rumsey,
and he spoke carelessly of this plan Of
moving boats without the agency Of
horses or sails. The idea, as we all be-
lieve, was given out and obtained by
Fitch ut that time. But Whittiesey, in
his biography of Fitch, and Fitch him.
self in the papers which he left behind
him, and which are now in the guard
ianship of the Philosophical Society OF
Philadelphia, say that the first time the
idea occurred to him of using steam for
any useful purposes whatever was in
the month Of April, l7S5. At that time
Rumsey had acquired the exclusive
right of navigating the waters Of Vir-
ginia and Maryland, and at that time
he had made successful exhibitions of
his invention. AT that time he had OBJ
talned for his plan the appreciation Of
George Washington, and many others,
so that of course there can be no ques-
ton about the fact that he antedated
Mr.. Fitch. But have to hurry on, so
as not to prolong the business Of this
meeting.
After this experiment at Shepherds
town in 1897, Rumsey went to Philadel-
phia. and so Interested the savants Of
that city with his invention that at
once there was formed a Rnmsian So
ciety. Franklin was at the head Of 1t,
and there were such members connected
with it as Bingham and Hollingsworth.
These gentlemen raised money to send
Rumsey to Europe, and he went in the
month of May, l7SS. He sailed for Eu-
rope with letters of recommendation
from some Of the best men Of the time,
DR.. Rush and others.
incidentally not long ago found the
letter written by DR.. Rush to DR.. Lett
som. the great physician Of England, In
which he says: "I desire TO commend
to your favorable consideration and at
tention genial Virginian by the name
Of Rumsey, who has grand project for
moving a boat by steam" a number Of
other letters were given which are
probably equally laudatory, but which
unfortunately have been lost. They are
referred to in other papers, but the text
las never been recovered.
In London his career was most inter-
esting. We have fragments Of letters
from him about his residence there. lie
saws, at one time: 81 am made the sub
ject Of playhouse wit" At another
time he saws: 81 have before me the
horrors OF London Jail" Meanwhile
he was having built boat on the
Thames TO be moved by steam. But his
means were limited while doing 1t
When he finished his boat and the day
arrived TO make public exhibition Of
her in 1871, his boat was seized by his
creditors. They refused to release 1t un
til they were paid certain moneys they
had incurred in It's construction. Ii
was very hard Oh this stranger In
strange land. But, nevertheless, II was
the fact.
lie was at his wits end. lie knew
not what to DO. lie had no friends
there. At last, at the suggestion Of some
persons, he agreed to deliver a lecture
upon the subject Of bis boat, by which
he hoped TO raise money enough to re-
lease her, ~ order that he might show
the world what she was. The evening
came when this lecture was TO be Geliy-
cred. 10 his surprise when he entered
the hall he found it crowded With peo-
pie. lie Was modest man. He was
no speaker, and was appalled, by the
number of the audience. y frieOd sat
near him. While he was arranging his
papers this friend, observing that he
was nervous and agitated, went out and
brought him a glass Of wine. lie swa!-
lowed il down and faced the audience.
He uttered few iDcoherent sentences
aud then The blood went with rush to
his face; he cIutched al the table be-
fore him aud fell back into tho arms Of
a Il lend who was near him. lie HeSer
spoke after that. He died in two days
after lie was thus stricken with apo
plexy in the city Of LoLdon.
Now comes the curious DOiut. In